Channel allocation method and apparatus for wireless communication networks

Abstract

A channel allocation method for use in a wireless communication environment, where Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) and Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs) coexist, includes collecting, at an access point, information on channels used by the WLANs and WPANs, determining available WLAN channels and available WPAN channels based on the channel information, allocating one of the available WLAN channels and one of the available WPAN channels to the access point, and informing the WLANs and WPANs of the allocated WLAN and WPAN channels.

1 . A channel allocation method in a wireless communication environment where Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) and Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs) coexist, comprising:
 collecting, at an access point, information on channels used by the WLANs and WPANs;   determining available WLAN channels and available WPAN channels based on the channel information;   allocating one of the available WLAN channels and one of the available WPAN channels to the access point; and   informing the WLANs and WPANs of the allocated WLAN and WPAN channels.   
     
     
         2 . The channel allocation method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing, when a new network is formed and requests channel information, the new network with at least one of entire WLAN and WPAN channels information, available WLAN and WPAN channels information, and recommended WLAN and WPAN channels information. 
     
     
         3 . A channel allocation method in a wireless communication environment where Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) and Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs) coexist, comprising:
 discovering, at a coordinator, an access point of one of the WLANs;   requesting the discovered access point to channel information; and   allocating a WPAN channel to as the coordinator's own WPAN channel based on the channel information received from the discovered access point.   
     
     
         4 . The channel allocation method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 re-requesting, when interference is detected on the allocated WPAN channel, the discovered access point for the channel information again; and   updating the allocated WPAN channel based on the channel information received again from the discovered access point.   
     
     
         5 . A channel allocation apparatus in a wireless communication environment where Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) and Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs) coexist, comprising:
 a WLAN channel processor which communicates using a WLAN channel;   a WPAN channel processor which communicates using a WPAN channel and collects information on WLAN and WPAN channels used by the WLANs and WPANs; and   a channel negotiator which determines available WLAN and WPAN channels based on the collected channel information, allocates one of the available WLAN channels and one of the available WPAN channels to an access point to which the channel allocation apparatus belongs, and informs the WLANs and WPANs of the allocated WLAN and WPAN channels.   
     
     
         6 . The channel allocation apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the channel negotiator provides, when a new network is formed and requests channel information, the new network with at least one of entire WLAN and WPAN channels information, available WLAN and WPAN channels information, and recommended WLAN and WPAN channels information. 
     
     
         7 . A channel allocation apparatus in a wireless communication environment where Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) and Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs) coexist, comprising a coordinator which discovers an access point of one of the WLANs, requests the discovered access point to channel information, and is allocates a WPAN channel as the coordinator's own WPAN channel based on the channel information received from the discovered access point. 
     
     
         8 . The channel allocation apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the coordinator re-requests, when interference is detected on the allocated WPAN channel, the discovered access point for the channel information again and updates the allocated WPAN channel based on the channel information received again from the discovered access point.